Egypt's spy chief said his service recruited agents in Iraq and Syria to counter Iranian support for militants in his country. According to US diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks, Omar Suleiman told US top military commander Admiral Michael Mullen in a 2009 meeting that Tehran had tried to recruit Bedouins to smuggle weapons into Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and that Egyptian security forces had detained a cell of Hizbullah.

"'Iran must pay the price' for its actions and not be allowed to interfere in regional affairs," the Cairo embassy cable published this week, dated April 30, 2009, quoted Suleiman as telling Admiral Michael Mullen. "If you want Egypt to cooperate with you on Iran, we will ... It would take a big burden off our shoulders," Suleiman is quoted as saying.

The spy master added that "'Egypt has started a confrontation with Hizbullah and Iran,'... (and) if they interfere in Egypt, Egypt will interfere in Iran,' the cable said.

Suleiman reportedly added that the Egyptian General Intelligence Service had already started recruiting agents in Iraq and Syria.